That Was Then, This Is Now
by PinkPixie019
Summary: Trance is up to something again and it has to do with har family, but what dose Harper have to do with all of this? Chapters 3-5 up!!! R
1. Leaving

Title: That Was Then, This Is Now

By: Katherine(dramkat2)(dragon)

Sum: My take on what happen to Trance in her future.

Spoilers: Yes lots to come too, mostly Season Two

Rating: PG-13 (To Be Safe)

Dylan sat at his desk going over the latest repair report as Trance walked in looking upset. "Hey, Trance. What's wrong?"

"I need a slipfighter, and I need an extended leave. No, I can't tell you why, but it has to do with my family."

Dylan looked surprised. "Trance, I can't just give you a slipfighter. The leave I can do, but..."

A small tear slid down Trance's cheek. "Dylan, please..."

"Fine." Dylan sighed. "But I need a full report when you get back."

Trance smiled in relief. "Thank you! I'll leave as soon as I get something from Harper." 

With that, she was gone, leaving Dylan very confused...

*********************************************************

Trance walked into Harper's workshop. "Harper, I need you to build something 

me - fast."

Harper looked up from his work. "How fast?"

Trance handed Harper a flexi. "Fast. I'm leaving soon."

Harper got a dumbfounded look. "What?! Why? Where?"

"Harper..." Trance smiled indulgently, despite the warning in her voice.

"I know, I know - don't ask. So what is it my golden goddess needs this time?" Harper looked at 

the flexi for the first time and blinked in confusion. "Um... Trance? This is a coordinates scrambler - why do you need this?"

Trance frowned. "I'm going somewhere you can't know about, and I need it for my slipfighter. I'll be in my quarters - cal me as soon as it's ready." 

She quickly turned and walked out, preventing any more questions.

Harper frowned. "That was odd..." 

He started on the scrambler with an irritated sigh. He had most of everything he needed in the machine shop already, so he finished quickly.

*********************************************************

Trance wasn't even done packing yet when Harper showed up with the scrambler. As Harper sat down at her table, he started to question her again, faking nonchalance. "So, Trance, how long will you be gone?"

Trance walked over to a plant and watered it. "I'm not sure... Not too long, I hope."

"So there's no way to contact you?"

Trance smiled. " Nice try, Harper, but I'm not telling you where I'm going."

Harper frowned in concern. "You sure you'll be ok?"

Trance came and sat across from him. "I've been though a lot - I can take care of myself, I promise."

Harper knew he wasn't going to win. "Fine. I've got a lot to do, so I'll see you around." 

He quickly got up and left as if nothing had happened, but his hurt was obvious. Trance shook her head sadly and went back to packing.

*********************************************************

Trance had a feeling something was off as she installed the scrambler on the slipfighter and got ready to go, but she brushed it off. Then she gave Dylan the word she was leaving and shot out of the ship, headed to the nearest slip portal.

She was preparing for the seventh and final jump when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She quickly turned and grabbed the hand, pulling its owner to the front of the fighter.

"No, Trance, don't! I'm sorry, but I had to!"

"HARPER?!" 

Trance was going to kill him, if *they* didn't first. "What are you doing?!" 

A very scared Harper half smiled as she pushed him to the back seat. "I thought you might be doing something you needed me for..."

Trance suddenly got very serious. "I especially didn't want you, of all people, here..."

"Why not?"

She glared at Harper. "Because there are some people here I don't want you to meet. But it's too far to take you back now, so I guess you'll have to come with me..." 

Trance frowned thoughtfully. "But you can't see what I'm going to do." 

Then she placed a hand on Harper's head and watched as he went limp, suddenly out cold.

End of Chapter One


	2. Your an

Title: That Was Then, This Is Now

By: Katherine (Dragon) (Dramkat)

Sum: What Happens After Harper Wakes

Rating: PG

A/N : ok I want to thank my beta reader Margaret, and eveyone who reviewed, do the same for this chap.

Dis: (forgot this) I don't own Andromeda or the chars, but the one I created are mine, all I get is the love from you :)-

Harper woke in a warm bed, with a mountain of blankets - not what he had expected after being knocked out by his best friend. As he looked around the room, he noticed that it was like an old Earth castle, with stone walls and a real wood door and bed. 

Slowly getting up and moving across the room, he noticed the door was locked. "What the hell?"

He quickly made his way to the window and looked out. He was at least six stories up. That escape route out of the question, he started looking for more ways to get out, just as Trance walked in and shut the door behind her. 

Harper spun around, ready to question and yell, stopping when he finally saw her. She was dressed differently than he had ever seen her, in a long white dress that flowed all the way to the floor, and beyond. Her hair was down all the way, too - he had never noticed how long it was before. 

She didn't look so much beautiful as like a goddess - a goddess that was crying. All the anger he felt flew out that window suddenly at the thought that something so beautiful could cry. "Trance? What..?"

Trance spoke quickly, apparently to herself."You shouldn't be here...You didn't know.... You could change it if you tried... It wasn't you - not *this* you, at least..." 

Harper could see she was about to break, so he walked over to her, took her in his arms, and sat her down on the bed. "Shhhh, it's okay. Now, what happened, and what's it got to do with me?" 

Trance looked up, tears in her eyes. "You need to know something..." 

Harper just stared at Trance. He had never seen her so stressed out before. 

Trance quickly looked out the window. "Okay... You know I came from a bad time, where a lot of things went wrong." Another tear fell. 

"What's this all have to do with me?"

Trance looked back at Harper. "You have a daughter."

Harper nearly fainted. "What?! I thought I died!"

Trance placed her hand on his. "Things happened a little differently in my time..." 

She took a deep breath. "I couldn't save you, but I knew I knew I was close to a cure, so we froze you in a cryochamber until I could find it. I *did* find a cure, eventually, and I was able to save you. When I got you back on your feet, you claimed you'd had some kind of epiphany, and then confessed your love in true Harper fashion." 

She smiled at that last thought and looked back into Harpers eyes. "To make long story short, we were happy. But then they attacked - the tunnel beings - and I made another mistake. I was only blind for a second, and didn't see what would happen, but you dyed with the rest, leaving only Beka and me. Then, to make things worse, I found out I was pregnant." 

She broke the eye contact quickly. "Things got bad. Beka got hurt time and time again, and it wasn't safe for the baby, so I brought her here."

Harper thought for a moment. "Wouldn't she disappear after you changed things?"

Trance smiled. "No, this planet isn't in real time."

"Oh." Harper grinned at her.

Trance wiped her tear-soaked cheeks. "Now the king - my father - is dying." 

She watched the shock flit across Harper's face. "Yes, I'm a princess - and the eldest, which makes me heir, though I turned down the throne a long time ago." 

She took another breath. "Since I refused the throne, it goes to my firstborn - our daughter. She is more than ready for it, but the people don't know she has mixed blood. A royal Princess and an outsider having a child would be bad enough, but for that child to want the throne, as well..." 

She paused for a moment. "The only reason my father even allowed her here was that you were dead."

Harper smiled thinly. "Man, I feel loved."

Trance smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "It gets worse... My father doesn't believe any other race could love one of my kind. He believes that it could only ever be lust, and has decreed that if an outsider is ever found with one of my kind, they are to be killed." 

Harpers eyes grew wide, and Trance rushed to continue. "I've tried to explain that it wasn't you, but they won't listen. All they said was that they would test you."

Harper got a serious look on his face. "What do I do to make sure they know it *is* me?"

Trance just looked at Harper. "What!? They'll kill you!"

Harper looked at Trance, and smiled. "I *do* love you, no matter what the timeline, and if we have a daughter, I'll love her more that anything in the universe too. We'll figure this out somehow, don't worry."

Trance smiled in relief. "Then you need to meet her, don't you?" 


	3. Meeting

BETA'S NOTE: The long delay in posting the following chapters is entirely my fault. I was occupied elsewhere, and Katherine was kind enough to wait for me rather than seek another beta...

*******************

Harper stood at his room's window, dressed in a pair of white pants and a white button-down shirt. Trance had left to talk to her father after telling Harper to stay in his rooms - as if he *wanted* to run around a castle full of people that wanted to kill him. 

As he looked out the window, he was amazed by at the beauty of this fantasy kingdom - he could see tall mountains, rolling hills, and a large green forest. Hanging out of the window a bit, he could also see a small village in the valley below.

  
He was still halfway out the window when Trance walked in. "Harper, it would be a shame if you fell." 

  
Harper did nearly fall then, but quickly pulled himself back from the window and turned to look at Trance. "Well?"

  
Trance smirked at him. "Well what?"

  
Harper looked at her and smiled. "What did he say?"

Trance smiled again, teasing. "Who?"

Harper stared at her, suddenly serious. "Trance...."

Trance laughed. "Oh... Father said you can meet her. She's in the garden - let's go."

Harper quickly walked up to her - he could see easily that she was scared, for all her joking. "Don't worry - it'll be okay." 

She smiled faintly. "I know..."  
  
As they walked down the endless halls, Harper found himself wondering. What did their daughter look like? Did she know about him? Would she like him? 

These thoughts kept running through his head, but before he could ask Trance anything, they were outside in a large garden - so big he couldn't see the other side. Trance continued on and rounded a corner, and as Harper followed, he stopped dead, staring at the girl sitting on a bench with a young man.

She was a spitting image of them both, a perfect blend of her parents - dark blond hair in long waves along her back, lavender skin, and ice blue eyes that looked up at him hard when she spotted him. 

She looked quickly back at the boy, who simply smiled, then she stood up and walked over to Harper.

"Hello." Her voice was sweet and soft, like her mother's.

Harper smiled. "Hey."

Trance walked up from behind him and smiled brightly. "Well, we got the hellos out of the way, at least. And who might this be?" she added, spotting the boy.

The girl smiled. "Oh! Forgive me, Mother - this is Rowling."

The boy stood up and sketched a bow, the picture of politeness. "Hello, Your Highness."

Trance's smiled faded a bit as she became serious. "Well, why don't we all sit and get acquainted?"

They all sat on the bench , Trance next to Harper and the girl next to Rowling.

"So...." Harper began, but then stopped abruptly. He didn't know her name - how in the hell could he not know her *name*?! 

As if reading his mind, the girl laughed. "It's Shaylena - my name's Shaylena."

Harper smiled, then looked at Trance as she nodded at him with a grin.

Shaylena laughed again "Yes - I was named after you."


	4. The King

Harper and Shaylena seemed set to talk for hours, so Trance and Rowling got up and walked off into the vast garden. As they traveled the long paths, they made small talk.

"So, Rowling, how long have you know Shaylena?" asked Trance as they rounded another corner. 

Rowling smiled widely. " A long time, actually. I live on the other side of the valley - my father is only a Duke, but ever since I was young, your father has allowed me to ride across the valley and see Shay. Lately, I've been staying more and more due to your father's health."

Trance grinned. "So are you and Shaylena....?" 

Her voice must have given her meaning away, because Rowling started to laugh.

"Oh, I don't know. You know how it is - even though I'm a noble and have known her so long, they don't really want the princess with any one, with her in line for the throne and all."

Trance laughed back. "You met Shay's father - I did everything a princess was not supposed to do, and I didn't let any one stop me now, did I?"

Rowling smiled faintly. "No. No, you didn't." Then he heard Shaylena's laugh and realized they were back where they had started.   
"Yeah, and there stood your mom, a gun in each hand, one pointed at me and one pointed at Rat-face, saying she'd shoot us both if she had to. Scary thing is, she'd have gotten away with it too!!!" Harper laughed then, joining Shaylena.  
  
Trance walked up behind them, grinning. "Talking about anyone I know?"

Harper grinned back. "Oh, no, no one *you* would know."

Harper winked at Shaylena then and smiled. Her sparkling eyes, looking back at him, reminded him yet again of her mother. 

He could see Trance in those eyes. Shaylena was just like her, always wanting to know everything, even if it seemed silly. That's what he had fallen in love with, with Trance...

"Harper, we need to go. Father wants to see you now." Trance's voice interrupted Harper's thoughts.

  
Harper looked up at her, suddenly frightened again. "Is he gonna kill me?"

  
Trance grinned. "Oh, I talked him out of an immediate execution. Besides, he'll probably just have a guard do it."

  
Harper smiled despite himself. "Ohhhh. Well, that's better." He stood and walked to Trance. "Lead the way, Oh Golden Princess."

  
Trance smiled sweetly at Harper and they walked off, through yet more countless hallways.

"Trance, exactly how big *is* this place?"

  
Trance grinned. "Oh, it's *big*! When I was younger, I knew all of it, but now..." She looked down the two halls they had reached and turned down one.

Both their grins faded as they reached a set of large gray doors.

"Okay - here goes..." Trance said, giving Harper's hand a squeeze.

She pushed the large door open, and dragged an immobile Harper inside. The two moved to a large bed draped in dark red, on which laid an aged blue man. 

"Harper, this is my father, King Packniss." Trance said, and the man opened his eyes slightly.

Harper looked back, terrified. "Hel.... hello, Sir..."

King Packniss glared back at him. " So... you're the man who's done this to us."

Trance could feel the tension in the air, and moved to ease it. " Now, Father, we all know 'this' took two people to do. And Harper cares for me."

Packniss glared again. "We'll see about that now won't we?" 

He raised his hand and two guards walked up behind them.

Trance looked them and then at Harper. "I have to go now, Harper. It'll be okay - just be honest."

Harper just nodded as Trance walked to the door. Pausing, she turned to look at the king.

"Father... He has done nothing wrong. Do *not* kill him."

The man laughed. "That will be *his* decision..."


	5. Honor

Harper was pushed roughly into a chair by one of the guards. "Hey! Watch it, you good-for-nothing pile of sh-"

  


He was stopped by a third man walking in. The guy was even bigger than Tyr, and looked a whole lot meaner... 

The large man glowered down at Harper. "So... You would be the worthless human that took our beloved princess from us."

  
Harper glared up at the man. "I never took her from you! Hell, I *just* found out that she was a princess! And *she* found me!"

  
The man glared back at him, seeming to get even larger than he already was as he paced back and forth. Then, talking in a low powerful voice, he questioned Harper again. "Now let me get this straight: you never knew of the child before you came here, and you and Her Highness had never had any relation in your known time?" 

He took a deep breath and looked at Harper before continuing. "But as soon as you've learned that she's a princess, you're suddenly in love with her!" He put his face merely inches from Harper's. "Bullshit. We all know it'll end quickly enough once you've gotten her into your bed."

Harper went red in the face and jumped up out of his chair, knocking the man to the floor in the process. "Okay! One - that child's name is Shaylena. Two - I've loved Trance from the moment I laid eyes on her! And Three - I would never hurt her like that!!!!" 

If possible, Harper had gone even redder in the face as he got angrier.

  
The man pulled himself off the floor and slapped Harper, knocking him into the chair again. Harper jumped back up, slamming his elbow into the man's chin, and was promptly slammed into the chair by the two smaller men, who both hit him again. 

The largest man looked back at Harper, his mouth dripping a small amount of blood, and continued baiting him. "I've always known that the princess wasn't worth the power she was given. She was nothing but trouble to this kingdom and a-" 

The man was stopped short by Harper slamming his fist into the man's nose.

" That's *it*!!!!" Harper shouted. "I will not just sit here and let you badmouth her like that! If you had any idea what Trance has done for us, what she's been through-! She'd risk her life for anyone! And she saved Shaylena, didn't she?"

  
The man looked at him, sneering. "Yes - a half- breed." 

Harper hit the man again. " You're a dumb-ass, aren't you?"

The man stepped up to Harper and hit him again. "I'll kill you before this is over, human."

Harper smiled wickedly. "Well, you'll have to, 'cause I'll kill you if you don't shut up!!!"

The man smiled and suddenly turned and walked out, leaving Harper still pissed and now very confused. 

"What the hell?! Where'd he go?!" 

He didn't have time to figure it out, because at that moment he was seized by the two smaller men again. They dragged him to his room and pushed him in. Still cursing at them as they shut the door, Harper turned around and saw Trance standing by the window.

Trance's smiled faded when she saw him. "Harper! What did they do to you???"

Harper smiled slightly. "You should see the other guy."

Trance frowned. "Harper.... what did you do?"

  
Harper frowned back "Hey, I didn't start it this time. He did. You should have heard him, Trance - what he called Shaylena, you, me! I had to do something!"

Trance suddenly smiled. "Oh, Harper!!!" Then she ran and threw her arms around Harper.

  
Harper smiled. Even though he was in pain, it somehow felt better to have her hug him. "What did I do?"

Trance pulled away, still smiling. "You passed the first test - you defended my honor!" 

She threw her arms around him again, and Harper laughed slightly, then stopped suddenly. "How many test are there?"

  
Trance smiled. "As many as they want, but that was one of the hardest. If it was just an act you were putting on, he would have killed you."

  
Harper pulled Trance's chin up and tilted her head so she was looking him in the eyes. "Trance, I couldn't have acted if I tried. I love you and there's nothing they can do to change that."

He leaned close to her, placing his lips to hers, praying to any god he could that she wouldn't pull away. She didn't - instead, she pushed herself against him, deepening the kiss to a passionate embrace as a small moan escaped her throat. 

Harper quickly closed the small distance between Trance and the wall, as Trance grabbed the bottom of Harpers shirt and broke the kiss long enough to pull it over his head and let it fall to the floor. 


	6. Life for Love

TITLE: That Was Then This Is Now (Chap 6)  
AUTHOR: Katherine (dragon) (Dramkat2)  
SERIES: None As Of Yet   
PAIRING: Trance/Harper  
TYPE: Romance/Drama  
RATING: PG-13  
ARCHIVE: To the Andromeda Romance site, yes; any others please ask.   
SUMMARY: Trance is up to something again, but what does Harper have to do with it all?  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Andromeda, just the characters I make.  
A/N: The song lyrics used are from Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls. My roommate saw the song and said it screamed Trance and Harper.

********************

_  
~Flashback~_

_  
Trance held the hand of her new husband, a smile on her face. They stood on the Ops deck, with the whole of the crew, a song playing the background as they began to dance. _

_Harper looked into her eyes, whispering the words to her._

_  
"And I'd give up forever to touch you,  
'cause I know that you'd feel me somehow.  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be,  
and I don't want to go home right now."_

_Trance smiled again at their private little joke. He said the song had been written just for them, even though it was written thousands of years ago. She let a small, happy tear fall as he continued._

_"And all I can taste is this moment,  
and all I can breathe is your life.  
When sooner or later it's over,  
I just don't want to miss you tonight."_

_He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I love you, Mrs. Trance Gemini Harper." he said, his eyes brightening at saying the name._

_  
If possible, Trance smiled even more. "You better, you just married me." she laughed out._

_~End Flashback~_  
  
Trance awoke slowly, the sunlight piercing her sleeping eyes. She could feel Harper's arm around her waist - oh she loved this, this feeling of complete safety. She remembered it all too well, but he didn't. 

She had to keeping reminding herself of the that, that things had happened a lot differently for him...

  
His arm moved; he was waking, "No, no!" thought Trance quickly. "Go back to sleep!". 

Her wish wasn't answered. His arm slid off her, and Trance sighed and turned herself around to meet his light blue eyes. There he was, her savior; her Harper... 

A slight smiled stayed glued to her lips as she spoke. "Hey."

Harper smiled too, his eyes sparkling slightly. "Morning."

Trance snuggled her head against his chest with a contented "Mmm..." She felt him laugh, and pulled her head back up to meet those eyes again. "I don't want to get up..."

Harper laughed again and put his arm around her waist. "Then don't! We can stay here all day."

Trance's smile faded. "I have to go see my father today."

Harper frowned. "Ya know, maybe we *can't* stay here all day. I really don't want your dad storming in here and trying to kill me. I've had it happen before, and, well, the guy threw me out a window..."

Trance laughed again. "Oh, then, by all means, let go! I'd hate for him to do that out this window!" She went to get up, but Harper pulled her back down.

"Well, we can stay a *little* longer..." whispered Harper softly.

Trance laughed. "You think so, huh? If he walks in here and sees me in your bed..."

Harper's eyes widened. "Yeah, we should get up!" 

He sat up and looked around. "Clothes?"

Trance laughed and grabbed the boxers on the floor next to her. "Looking for these?" she teased, holding up the shorts and smiling.

Harper grabbed them. "Among others, but those would help." 

He pulled the shorts on and stood up, walking over to the wardrobe, grabbing a new set of pants and shirt, and pulling them on. 

As Trance grabbed her clothes, trying to get her dress on, she stood up, realizing she couldn't tie it. "Harper, will you help me here?" 

Harper just smiled, walking over and pulling the ties down. 

Trance laughed. "Up, silly!" 

Harper laughed and tied the dress. "Sorry - had to try!"

Trance, smiling, walked to the door. "I'm going to go change I'll be back in a bit." 

Harper smiled and walked over to her, pulling her close to him as he pressed their lips together in a light kiss. Pulling away, he smiled again. "Okay."

Trance blushed slightly and walked out and down the hall, to her room. Her maid was pulling a dress out and placing it on her bed. "I thought you'd be back about now."

Trance walked over and fell on her bed. "Oh, Fella, I had the best night!"

Fella walked around and sat on the bed next to her. "With Mr. Harper, I'm guessing." She laughed at Trance's surprised expression. "You had that look like when you have a plan, like that time you were after the Count's son. I knew you wouldn't be home until early this morning."

Trance laughed. "I *was* kind of wild, wasn't I?" 

She smiled and rolled over. "So tell me about Shaylena and Rowling. Is she anything like I was?"

Fella smiled back. "She's shown she was your daughter on more than one occasion, but I don't know about her and Rowling. However, he has been staying late in her room, and we don't see them apart much."

Trance sat up, grinning. "He seems nice." 

She pulled the dress over to her and looked at it. "Red?"

Fella stood up and took the dress in her hands. "Thought you could use some passion today. Now, up, up - let's get that dress off and this one on." 

She pulled Trance to her feet, spinning her around and pulling the tie. Trance pulled the dress off and stepped into the new one, letting Fella tie it up. 

"There now, let me take a look at you." she said, as Trance turned around, smiling. "You look beautiful as always."

Trance laughed and walked over to her vanity table, picking up her crown and turning it in her small hands. "I haven't worn this in so long..." 

She traced the small jewels and smiled as she placed it on her head, adjusting it to the perfect spot. "There." 

She turned and looked at Fella. "Well, I'm off to get Harper, and then to Father. Wish me luck..."

Fella walked up and hugged a shaking Trance. "Good luck, my dear child."

Trance walked out the door and down the hall to Harper's room, knocking lightly. Harper's jaw dropped as he opened the door, and she just laughed and reached forward, snapping his jaw shut. 

She saw his eyes move to the crown atop her head. "So I guess that proves it then. You *are* a princess." He smiled and took her hand in his. "Lead the way."

Trance smiled and began to walk towards her father's sitting chambers. They had to meet and talk of the coming events - and if Harper would even get to live long enough to be tested. 

She could feel that Harper was scared to death. "Harper, it'll be fine. Just stay calm and everything will be alright. He won't kill you..." I hope, she added mentally. 

Okay, maybe she was scared too.... 

They rounded yet another corner and walked to the end of the hall - her father's audience chamber. She'd always been so scared of this room - it was where her father would decide the fate of peoples' lives or declare wars. So much pain in this room, and here she was, taking the man she loved to it, to find out what would happen to him... 

She saw her father's frail body sitting in his old chair, the same look on his face as he'd had last time they spoke. She sat across from him, letting go of Harper's hand as he sat in the chair next to her. 

She looked to her father. "Hello, Father. How do you feel today?"

"Not as good as you must." her father replied, snapping a sharp look at Harper, who sat up straighter and gulped. 

He looked back to Trance. "He passed the first test, I am told." He coughed before continuing, dabbing his mouth with a white cloth. "So he will live for now." 

He looked to Harper again. "But know this, boy - you fail *any* of the tests, and I will not think twice before ordering your death." Harper gulped again and nodded.

Trance smiled. "If that will be all, Father, I was going to show Harper around the town."

Her father nodded. "That will be all - for now." 

Trance stood up, grabbing a shocked Harper and pulling him to his feet. "Let's go!" 

She looked back to her father. "Goodbye, Father." 

As they walked down the hall, she felt Harper stop. 

She looked back to him to see that he had a blank look on his face. "He's gonna try everything he can to kill me, isn't he?"

Trance frowned. "Yes, he will. He's a power-hungry jackass." 

She pulled on Harper's hand again to snap him out of his mood, and they continued to an outside door. She stepped into the sun light as Harper put his arm around her waist, and they started towards the small town.

Harper smiled. "It's beautiful here." He pulled Trance close as they walked out of the castle gates and into the small town.

Trance smiled back at him. "Wait until you see the market place - you're going to love it!" She pulled away from him and started to pull on his hand again. "Come on!"

Harper laughed and tried to keep up. "I'm coming!" 

They walked onto a street full of booths and booths, full of everything Harper could imagine, any kind of gadget possible and parts to make more. 

"Wow!" 

Trance laughed. "See? Told you!" 

She grabbed his hand suddenly. "Wait for this!" 

She pulled him around a corner and to another row of booths full of plants. "This was always my favorite place to come, even to just look. But I never got out with out buying something."

Harper smiled, looking at her. She was so happy here. It was her home, he reminded himself, though he slightly wondered if they'd ever see the Andromeda again.

That was pushed from his mind as Trance grabbed his hand and pulled him down and out of the row and past the market, onto open land. 

Trance stopped as they reached a hill over looking a vast lake. "This used to be where I came to hide from everyone, if things became too much." 

She sat down and looked up at Harper, who sat next to her, and placed her head on his shoulder. "We'll make it through this. Don't worry."

Harper smiled and laid his head on hers. "I hope so."

"Well, well, well..." said a dark voice. "Isn't this cute? The princess with the pig...." 

Trance jumped up and looked at the stranger. "Who the hell are you?!" 

Harper jumped up as well, grabbing Trance and pushing her behind him as she protested. 

"Harper, I can deal with this!"

"Isn't that sweet?" said the man. "Well, if you'd step aside, pig, I'll do what I was sent to do."

Harper glared at him and took a step forward. "And what would that be?"

"To kill this disgrace to the Royal family!" The man pushed past Harper, heading for Trance, who hit the man hard in the face.

Harper saw another man came from a tree behind Trance. Before he knew what he was doing, he was in front of her pushing her to the ground. 

He felt a knife enter his side, pain spreading from that one spot to his whole body in mere seconds as the blood ran down his side. He felt himself fall to the ground. 

Trance was next to him in seconds "Harper!!! Oh, God, no!" 

Suddenly, the pain stopped and Harper felt the wound healing. He sat up and grabbed his side, feeling for the injury. 

"What-?" He looked at Trance, tears in her eyes as she sat looking at him, confused and panicked.

"Wow! I didn't think he'd do it!" said one of the men.

"Nah, I had a feeling he would. I didn't think she'd believe it, though." said the other.

Harper stood up, suddenly realizing. "This was a test, wasn't it?" 

Trance looked at the men, her anger rising.

The stabber smiled. "Yeah. We had to see if you'd put your life in front of hers."

Trance stood up and ran at him, hitting him hard in the face. "You tell my father this: if he *ever* does something like that to me again, I'll kill him myself and take the throne!!!!" 

Her eyes burned with angry fire. The man just nodded, pulling himself to his feet and running off with his partner. 

Trance turned around, tears in her eyes now.

Harper walked up to her and pulled her in to a hug, holding her tight. "Its okay! I'm here, I'm okay! Nothing's wrong."

Trance started to cry. "I thought I had lost you again. I can't lose you again, Harper - I barely made it last time, and I can't now, not again!"

Harper pulled back slightly and looked her in the eyes. "I'm here, I'm not gonna die. I'll pass every one of their freakin' tests and prove to them that I love you, because I do." 

He kissed her gently, and Trance kissed back, pushing herself against him like she was never going to let go. When she did finally pull away, they were both gasping for breath. 

Harper smiled. "Have you made sure I'm here yet?"

Trance smiled shakily. "Yes. But I'm still going to have to have a talk with my father later." 

She put her hand in Harper's, and they began to walk back to the castle. 


End file.
